(Salt Lake City, UT) — Governor Cox says Southern Utah cities can consider raising property taxes to fund their police and fire departments, but “only when it’s necessary.” In his monthly PBS Press Conference Thursday, the governor said he remembers wrestling with funding public safety agencies when he was a local government official in Sanpete County before entering state government. He said, “Sometimes the only way to do it is property tax increases, but I’m in favor only when it’s necessary.” St. George considered raising property taxes last summer and the police and fire chiefs in Ivins and Santa Clara have sounded alarms about their finances. Cox said local leaders will need to convince the people in their communities there’s no other alternative.